The "n" Word

Paula Deen has been all over the news lately for her admitted use of the "n" word as a racial slur, and righfully so.  It has cost her work, sponsors, and money.

Let's face it, the "n" word is just as offensive today as it's been for the last 150 years or so.  It was always intended to be an offensive word, and Ms. Deen is paying dearly for her use of it.

But let's also be fair.  If all of the record labels would drop the artists that fling the "n" word around, much more freely and openly than Paula did, we would probably have about 50% fewer recording artists.  The same goes for comedians and actors.  Why isn't the entertainment industry as a whole dropping people like flies for their use of the "n" word?

Because the majority of people that so casually use that word are black.  Is the word any less offensive because a black person uses it?  And what about the slurs used by this same group of people toward caucasions, aren't they also offensive?

I just don't understand why you're allowed to say whatever you want, about whoever you want, but only if you're black.

Make everyone suffer the same career and monetary punishment, regardless of who utters, or shouts, or sings, the offensive word(s).